- EXCLUSIVE: STRIKEFORCE DENVER FIGHTER SALARIES

by Ken Pishna – MMAWeekly.com
MMAWeekly has obtained the fighter salary information from the Colorado Office of Boxing for Strikeforce “Payback” featuring Duane Ludwig vs. Sam Morgan, which took place on Friday, Oct. 3 at the Broomfield Events Center just outside of Denver.

There were no fighters drug tested for the Strikeforce event, according to Ofelia Duran, the program director for the Office of Boxing, who stated, “The Office of Boxing administers drug tests on a random basis” in accordance to the state’s General Rules.

The determination for the random testing is at the discretion of the Office of Boxing’s director – currently Josef Mason – as he deems necessary. The section addressing random testing reads, “All contestants shall be subject to random testing for the use of any illegal substances, drugs or alcohol. If the Director determines that random testing should be instituted, the Director shall devise a method for subjecting all contestants to such tests on a random basis. Contestants shall be subject to such tests at such times, either before a bout, after a bout, or both, as the Director may determine is necessary to ensure the integrity of boxing (and MMA) and health of contestants.”

The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners’ bonuses.

Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters’ salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.

In the listings below, “Main Event Fighters” are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. “Main Card Fighters” are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. “Preliminary Card Fighters” are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the live broadcast goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.

NOTE: Frank Trigg was likely paid on a separate contract, although Strikeforce officials were not available for comment at the time of publication of this report.